La Importancia del Ejercicio para el Paciente con Gota
¡Es un nuevo año, lo que significa que es hora de hacer nuevos propósitos de año nuevo! ¿Cuál es el propósito más comúnmente hecho en Año Nuevo? ¡Hacer ejercicio, en efecto! ¡Reducir tu peso! ¡Comer más saludablemente!
Sin embargo, en realidad, la mayoría de ustedes se inscribirá en un gimnasio en enero, solo para abandonarlo después de un par de meses. Esto es especialmente cierto cuando llega la primavera y el buen clima te hace más perezoso para ir al gimnasio.
Pero si tienes gota, tienes que hacer ejercicio. Permíteme repetirme para enfatizar: "Si tienes gota, debes hacer ejercicio. Punto".
Tu nueva resolución: ¡Mantente activo!
Entonces, hazlo como un propósito de año nuevo y cambia tu mal hábito de no hacer ejercicio y ponte en movimiento. No necesitas un gimnasio para hacer ejercicio, puedes hacerlo desde la comodidad de tu propio hogar o al aire libre, donde no te costará nada.
Todos somos conscientes de que el ejercicio regular puede proporcionar numerosos increíbles beneficios físicos y mentales. Algunas de las muchas ventajas incluyen una mejor salud del corazón y los pulmones, fortaleza ósea, bienestar mental, niveles de energía aumentados y un mejor sueño.
Entonces, te preguntas cómo puedo hacer ejercicio cuando tengo gota y mis articulaciones son tan sensibles. Y te respondo que la falta de ejercicio solo empeorará la enfermedad y hará que el dolor de la gota sea peor a largo plazo.
¿Por qué? Porque cuando tus articulaciones duelen, es menos probable que te levantes, te muevas o hagas ejercicio. Esta falta de actividad te vuelve menos flexible y debilita tus articulaciones y músculos. Esto puede resultar en pérdida ósea, por cierto, intensificando los síntomas dolorosos de la gota.
Los pacientes activos con gota experimentaron significativamente menos brotes.
La gota es el tipo más común de artritis inflamatoria. Un estudio examinó la patogénesis inflamatoria en un modelo agudo de gota en ratones (sí, ratones) y analizó datos clínicos de pacientes humanos con gota en función de la actividad física para investigar los efectos de la actividad física regular y la intensidad del ejercicio en la inflamación y los resultados clínicos.
La gota es un tipo de artritis inflamatoria caracterizada por la inflamación causada por los cristales de urato monosódico (MSU) en las articulaciones, tendones y tejidos circundantes. El consumo de alimentos y bebidas ricos en purinas, así como diversos factores de salud (obesidad, enfermedad cardíaca o renal), pueden resultar en niveles elevados de ácido úrico en suero y la formación de depósitos de cristales de MSU en el cuerpo.
Sin tratamiento, la gota puede causar daño articular irreversible, dolor crónico y deformación. Además de los cambios en la dieta y el estilo de vida, los tratamientos farmacológicos para la gota incluyen una combinación de agentes antiinflamatorios y agentes que reducen los niveles de ácido úrico.
Los investigadores descubrieron que los regímenes de ejercicio de intensidad baja a moderada pueden reducir significativamente la inflamación observada en un modelo agudo de gota en ratones.
Finalmente, los investigadores descubrieron que, como medida preventiva, el ejercicio sería beneficioso para un paciente con gota que se encuentra en un período de recuperación entre brotes con el fin de prevenir o limitar futuros brotes.
Se recomienda descanso y reducción de movimiento/peso para un paciente que experimenta un brote con un pie enrojecido, doloroso e hinchado. Los investigadores, por otro lado, imaginaron que se prescribiría un régimen de ejercicio estandarizado durante la inactividad clínica para ayudar a reducir la gravedad y la frecuencia de futuras apariciones.
El ejercicio es beneficioso para controlar los síntomas de la gota.
El ejercicio te ayudará a mantener tu forma física y un peso saludable. También te ayudará a ganar energía y fortalecer huesos, articulaciones y músculos.
Al final, el ejercicio puede promover una recuperación más rápida de los ataques de gota. Un estudio de 2008 sobre la gota y el ejercicio señaló que los hombres que corrían 5 millas al día tenían un 50% menos de posibilidades de desarrollar gota que los hombres menos activos.
Combinando los consejos de dieta para la gota de mi libro electrónico "Gota y tú: La dieta definitiva para la gota y recetario" y el ejercicio, ¡no hay forma de que no reduzcas tus niveles de ácido úrico, de ninguna manera!
Dicho esto, no debes seguir dietas extremas ni hacer ejercicio excesivo que provoque una pérdida de peso rápida. Perder peso demasiado rápido puede tener el efecto contrario y aumentar tus niveles de ácido úrico.
Antes de continuar, regla número 1: ¡no hagas ejercicio si estás sufriendo un ataque de gota o si tu articulación está inflamada, ya sea por un ataque de gota o por cualquier otra razón! Hacer ejercicio durante un ataque de gota o cuando una articulación está inflamada empeorará tu condición, aumentando el dolor y prolongando la inflamación.
Presta atención a las señales de tu cuerpo y espera a hacer ejercicio hasta que la inflamación, el ataque de gota o la exacerbación hayan pasado. Luego, comienza lentamente y ve aumentando gradualmente.
Una nota aparte: el ejercicio no tiene ningún impacto en la disolución de los tofos o cristales de ácido úrico. Sin embargo, contribuye a reducir y mantener bajos los niveles de ácido úrico.
La importancia del ejercicio cuando tienes gota
En cuanto a controlar la gota, el ejercicio tiene un efecto protector.el ejercicio regular Se ha demostrado que aumenta la esperanza de vida en personas con niveles altos de ácido úrico en 4 a 6 años, además de reducir los niveles de ácido úrico en sangre.
La obesidad y el aumento de peso pueden revertirse para reducir la probabilidad de una agudización repentina de la gota. Además, se ha demostrado que el ejercicio reduce la inflamación.
El ejercicio también disminuye la resistencia a la insulina, lo que aumenta la posibilidad de un ataque de gota. Se ha demostrado que las mejores intervenciones no farmacológicas para reducir los síntomas de la gota son el ejercicio junto con una dieta baja en calorías.
Otra área en la que el ejercicio puede ayudar a las personas con gota es en recuperar la fuerza y flexibilidad después de una agudización repentina.
Cuando tienes dolor, eres menos activo, y cuando tu cuerpo no se mueve mucho, tus articulaciones pueden endurecerse y perder flexibilidad. Según una revisión clínica reciente, las modalidades de ejercicio pueden ayudarte a recuperar tu capacidad después de la inmovilidad causada por una agudización de la gota.
Otra estudio descubrió que las personas sin gota que hacen ejercicio regularmente tenían menos probabilidades de desarrollar tofos. Estos son los abultamientos en las articulaciones causados por la acumulación de cristales de ácido úrico.
Entonces, ¿qué tipo de ejercicios puedo hacer?
Hay 4 áreas principales que debes cubrir en tu régimen de ejercicio:
- Ejercicios de rango de movimiento: consisten en mantener tus articulaciones flexibles y móviles para reducir la rigidez. Un buen ejercicio de movimiento para el pie es girar el tobillo en forma circular. Otros ejercicios incluyen girar la cabeza y el cuello, los tobillos o las muñecas.
- Ejercicios de fuerza: Diseñados para aumentar y mantener la fuerza de tus músculos utilizando pesas o haciendo ejercicios de resistencia. Recuerda que los músculos fuertes ayudan a mantener y aliviar la presión sobre las articulaciones adoloridas, fortaleciendo tus huesos. Considera el yoga o el tai chi como ejercicios de fuerza de bajo impacto, y consulta los ejercicios de estiramiento a continuación.
- Ejercicios de resistencia o cardiovasculares: Estos ejercicios pueden beneficiar tu corazón, aumentar la circulación sanguínea, ayudarte a perder peso y aumentar tu energía. Es importante elegir ejercicios aeróbicos de bajo impacto como caminar, subir escaleras, bailar, nadar y andar en bicicleta, lo cual me encanta hacer. Para ser honesto, la natación ofrece el mejor ejercicio aeróbico para quienes sufren de gota. Esto se debe a que este ejercicio no ejerce ningún estrés sobre las articulaciones, ya que te mueves en el agua.
- Ejercicios de estiramiento: Esto te ayudará a mejorar tu flexibilidad y también la fuerza muscular. El yoga, pilates y el tai chi son los más populares. Ejemplos incluyen estiramientos musculares y mover una articulación hasta donde puedas.
¡Siempre consulta con tu médico primero!
Finalmente, antes de comenzar un programa de ejercicio, consulta a tu médico. Tu médico deberá tener en cuenta varios factores, incluyendo la etapa y la gravedad de tu gota. También examinará qué articulaciones se ven comúnmente afectadas para asegurarse de no inflamarlas más de lo necesario.
Dependiendo de tu condición, tu médico puede recomendar diferentes ejercicios, como nadar en lugar de correr. O pueden recomendar el uso de elípticas, ya que la mayoría de los pacientes con gota sufren ataques de gota en el dedo gordo del pie, afectando el área del pie.
Por lo tanto, ¡es una buena idea cuidar tus pies mientras haces ejercicio! Créeme, he aprendido de la manera difícil corriendo demasiado rápido y provocando hinchazón insoportable en mis pies.
Un fisioterapeuta o fisiólogo del ejercicio también puede asesorarte sobre ejercicios seguros. Recuerda que el ejercicio vigoroso puede elevar los niveles de ácido úrico en la sangre. ¿Cómo? Si no tienes cuidado y no te mantienes hidratado, esto puede provocar un ataque de gota.
Ejercicios para ayudar a mitigar el riesgo de brotes de gota
Cuando tienes gota, es natural preguntarse si debes caminar o correr como parte de tu rutina diaria de ejercicio. Sin duda, la respuesta es un rotundo sí, excepto durante un doloroso brote de gota.
En los brotes graves de gota, incluso la presión de una sábana puede ser extremadamente dolorosa. En esta situación, la mayoría de los pacientes se beneficiarían de descansar y elevar sus pies.
Moverse de manera segura durante un brote de gota
El ácido úrico se acumula en el cuerpo y se cristaliza en fragmentos microscópicos, lo que provoca la gota. El ácido úrico es un subproducto del metabolismo normal. Los cristales de ácido úrico pueden acumularse en las articulaciones, más frecuentemente en la articulación media del dedo gordo del pie o donde el dedo se une al pie.
Los cristales de ácido úrico también pueden acumularse en la articulación del mediopié y el tobillo. Esto puede provocar un dolor intenso que es agudo, hinchado, e incluso se ve rojo y se siente caliente al tacto.
Un brote típico de gota puede durar hasta dos semanas, pero los medicamentos antiinflamatorios pueden ayudarte a sentirte mejor más rápido. Tu médico de atención primaria o reumatólogo puede sugerirte medicamentos antiinflamatorios como los medicamentos antiinflamatorios no esteroideos (AINE), la colchicina y los glucocorticoides para reducir el dolor durante los brotes agudos de gota.
Cómo caminar y hacer ejercicio ayudan a aliviar la gota
El ejercicio puede ser lo último en lo que pienses durante un ataque de gota cuando tienes las articulaciones hinchadas y dolorosas, pero está bien. Una de las cosas más saludables que puedes hacer por tu cuerpo durante un ataque de gota es descansar.
Según la Clínica Mayo, la gota puede erosionar y destruir tus articulaciones si no se trata. Por eso es fundamental cumplir estrictamente con tu plan de tratamiento medicamentoso. La actividad física y el ejercicio son importantes para mantener la salud de las articulaciones cuando tienes gota por dos razones:
- Evita poner demasiado peso en tus articulaciones: Según este 2016 estudiouna dieta saludable para controlar el peso, como la dieta DASH diseñada para reducir la presión arterial alta, ha demostrado ayudar a las personas a reducir sus niveles de ácido úrico. Ten cuidado de no perder demasiado peso demasiado rápido, ya que esto puede hacer que el ácido úrico aumente.
- Reduce los niveles de ácido úrico para ayudar a prevenir ataques de gota: Los investigadores descubrieron que la grasa transporta más ácido úrico en el cuerpo que el músculo. Por lo tanto, al perder grasa corporal, puedes reducir los niveles de ácido úrico en la sangre.Las personas con gota deben centrarse en mejorar su salud cardiovascular a través del ejercicio debido a su mayor riesgo de desarrollar hipertensión arterial. La enfermedad de las arterias coronarias y la gota están estrechamente relacionadas.
La forma más efectiva de retomar el ejercicio después de un ataque de gota
Muchos médicos recomiendan realizar ejercicios acuáticos (en el agua) como una buena forma de comenzar a retomar el ejercicio después de un brote de gota. Esto se debe a que la flotabilidad del agua reduce el impacto en las articulaciones.
Además, los ejercicios aeróbicos de bajo impacto en una máquina como elíptica pueden ser beneficiosos. Una vez que el brote de gota haya disminuido, es fundamental mantener la flexibilidad de las articulaciones incluyendo estiramientos y ejercicios de movimiento para promover un movimiento articular saludable.
Once you’ve begun to ease into post-flare exercise, it’s critical not to overdo it. Once the flare has subsided, patients should not experience pain when walking. If you have pain walking after a flare, return to using walking support and reduce your planned exercise until the pain goes away.
¡No te excedas!
Cuando retomes las actividades normales después de un brote agudo de gota, lo más importante es recordar que debes tomarte tu tiempo. Si solías correr antes del brote, debes comenzar con ejercicios de intensidad baja o media, como caminar o andar en bicicleta.
Debes evitar ejercicios que tengan un alto impacto en las articulaciones, como saltar la cuerda o realizar saltos pliométricos, especialmente inmediatamente después de un brote agudo.
Debes evitar ejercicios de alta intensidad, ya que pueden aumentar los niveles de ácido úrico en el cuerpo y provocar otro ataque de gota. Los ejercicios de alta intensidad, como entrenamientos de sprint, entrenamiento de intervalos de alta intensidad (HIIT) y ciclismo más intenso, elevan la frecuencia cardíaca de una persona entre el 76% y el 96% de su máximo.
Consejos de ejercicio de expertos para personas con gota
La gota no impide que seas activo o incluso corras regularmente; la clave es aumentar gradualmente la intensidad de tu entrenamiento. Antes de comenzar cualquier programa de ejercicio, consulta con tu médico y fisioterapeuta.
Aquí hay cinco consejos de ejercicio compatibles con la gota para ayudarte a comenzar y mantenerte activo con la gota:
- Selecciona el calzado adecuado: Debido a que la gota afecta con frecuencia al dedo gordo del pie, la parte media del pie y el tobillo, es esencial usar el calzado adecuado. Un fisioterapeuta puede ayudarte a determinar el mejor calzado para un paciente con gota. Una parte significativa de su consideración se basa en evidencia que demuestra que el calzado especializado beneficia a los pacientes al cambiar la alineación de la pierna y el pie. Esto afecta la actividad de los músculos del pie y tu patrón de marcha, es decir, la forma en que caminas. Estos cambios tienen como objetivo reducir la presión (carga) en tus articulaciones.
- Mantén un ritmo de caminata cómodo: en en cuenta que tu objetivo es moverte sin dolor. Comienza lentamente, caminando a un ritmo que cause la menor cantidad de estrés y presión. A medida que te sientas más cómodo con tu zancada al caminar, intenta aumentar gradualmente tu ritmo cardíaco.
- Incluye ejercicios adicionales de bajo impacto aeróbicos: onsidera incluir otros ejercicios que aceleren el ritmo cardíaco además de caminar en tu rutina de actividad aeróbica. Por ejemplo, puedes probar nadar o usar una bicicleta estacionaria. Ambas opciones son especialmente ventajosas para los pacientes con gota, ya que no ejercen tanta tensión en las articulaciones que soportan peso, como los pies, tobillos y rodillas. Las máquinas elípticas también pueden ser una buena opción para mover los brazos y las piernas sin ejercer demasiada presión sobre las articulaciones.
- Estira la articulación afectada: Querrás recuperar la flexibilidad articular para asegurar una movilidad fácil una vez que la inflamación de la gota haya disminuido. Realiza estiramientos simples moviendo lentamente la articulación hacia adelante, hacia atrás y alrededor, hasta un límite cómodo. Aumenta gradualmente el número de repeticiones agregando cinco más cada vez.
- Utiliza el entrenamiento de fuerza para desarrollar músculos: Los músculos fuertes pueden proteger tus articulaciones del desgaste, especialmente si tienes gota. Además del entrenamiento con pesas, los ejercicios de resistencia simples (usando tu propio peso corporal) pueden ser eficaces para desarrollar los músculos.Por ejemplo, sostén cada extremo de una banda de resistencia elástica y coloca el pie en el medio, luego repite tus ejercicios de flexibilidad mientras empujas contra la resistencia de la banda.
Haz de la actividad física parte de tu rutina diaria
La Departamento de Salud y Servicios Humanos de EE. UU. recomienda que los adultos realicen 150 minutos o más de actividad física de intensidad moderada por semana, como caminar rápido. Una rutina de ejercicio ideal consta de tres partes:
- Actividad aeróbica: Estas actividades aumentan tu ritmo cardíaco y mejoran la resistencia. Intenta incorporar 30 minutos de ejercicio aeróbico en tu programa de tres a cuatro veces por semana.Puedes caminar o montar en bicicleta estática. Considera nadar, ya que el agua y el ejercicio en agua caliente pueden ser beneficiosos para las articulaciones rígidas. Es posible que encuentres que mover tus articulaciones es más fácil en el agua que en tierra firme.Además, el agua apoya tu cuerpo y reduce el desgaste de las articulaciones.
- Ejercicios de estiramiento: Estos ejercicios te ayudarán a aumentar tu rango de movimiento. La flexibilidad mejora otros tipos de ejercicio y te permite moverte con mayor comodidad durante todo el día. Haz del estiramiento un hábito y dedica 15 minutos cada día. Realiza los estiramientos lentamente y suavemente.
- Ejercicio para fortalecer: Si no has estado moviéndote porque tus articulaciones duelen y están hinchadas, es posible que tus músculos estén débiles. Puedes desarrollar fuerza utilizando equipos de resistencia y realizando ejercicios de levantamiento de pesas. Tus articulaciones estarán apoyadas y libres de lesiones gracias a músculos más fuertes.Para evitar lesiones, muévete lentamente e incrementa la intensidad de tu entrenamiento a medida que ganas fuerza. Tareas diarias como subir escaleras y levantar objetos pesados se volverán más simples de completar a medida que aumente tu fuerza.Hay muchos métodos para desarrollar fuerza. Podrías hacer ejercicio utilizando pesas libres, bandas elásticas, máquinas de pesas o en una piscina. Siempre estira antes de comenzar cualquier ejercicio de entrenamiento de fuerza. Comienza con pesos extremadamente ligeros y aumenta gradualmente a medida que ganas fuerza.
Sugerencias de ejercicio para personas con gota:
- Comienza lentamente, pero de manera constante, con un programa de ejercicios. Las recomendaciones actuales de ejercicio sugieren al menos 150 minutos de ejercicio de intensidad moderada por semana. Este es un buen punto de partida cuando se trata de control de peso y salud cardiovascular.
- Se debe evitar el ejercicio de alta intensidad, especialmente durante y justo después de un brote de gota. Esto puede provocar un aumento en los niveles de ácido úrico.
- Siempre bebe mucha agua. La deshidratación se ha relacionado con niveles elevados de ácido úrico. Beber agua y evitar bebidas azucaradas altas en fructosa, que también se ha relacionado con un aumento en los niveles de ácido úrico, son dos ejemplos.
- Si tienes problemas para controlar tu gota o para hacer ejercicio, busca el consejo de tu médico. Si es necesario, pueden sugerir terapia física.
- Cuando se trata de perder peso, es mejor combinar ejercicio y dieta para perder peso gradualmente. Se ha relacionado un aumento en los niveles de ácido úrico con una pérdida de peso rápida.
Un estilo de vida saludable ayudará a mantener la gota alejada.
He dicho esto muchas veces, asegúrate de beber mucha agua, ¡no Gatorade sino buena agua simple! Trata de hacer ejercicio al menos 30 minutos al día durante al menos 5 días a la semana. Al principio, es posible que necesites comenzar con sesiones más cortas y luego aumentar lentamente después.
Sea lo que sea que hagas, asegúrate de agregar algo de ejercicio en tu vida diaria, hará una gran diferencia en tu salud general y también en tu gota.
Los ataques de gota generalmente duran de tres a diez días. Puede pasar meses o años antes de que tengas otro. El ejercicio debe estar en la parte superior de tu lista de tareas durante estos momentos en los que te sientes bien.
El manejo de la gota requiere ejercicio de intensidad moderada. Puede ayudar con el peso corporal y el control del ácido úrico. Es importante volver al ejercicio de manera gradual después de un brote. Los ejercicios que no empeoren tu dolor pero te permitan mover tu cuerpo son los mejores.
102 replies to "Gota y Ejercicio"
Dear Spiro,
I’ve been following and reading your articles and so far it’s making sense to me. I’m 167cm tall and weigh 64kg and 42 years old. I’m an avid cyclist and I do ultra endurance cycling (or Audax). The distance ranges from 200km all the way up to 1200km and I can go 2 to 5 days of cycling.
I had 2 flare ups about 1 year apart, back in August 2018 and recently in November. Both gout flare ups that I experienced can be traced to dehydration and lots of fructose intake while I do endurance cycling; Building up to the recent flare up I was trying out a Keto diet with the hope that I can utilize fat as my primary fuel source instead of carbs. I suppose I was wrong. Now i’m doing the total opposite with no meat, plant-based diet. The pain at my left toe has subsided since.
What I am still in the dark is that how do I fuel up during my endurance cycling since I can’t take those fructose drink as energy. I do not have the luxury of finding fruit stalls during my rides. energy bars are laden with sugar and I’m afraid of future flare ups. I’ve seen pro cyclists make their own rice cakes or oat bars but they still use either honey, sugar or agave nectar.
Any tips?
Thanks
Thank you for your email and for sharing your story!
You can have fruit in a gout diet, you can’t totally avoid sugar, I recommend 26 grams of sugar intake daily, about half of the recommended 52 grams which is dangerous.
So fuel up anyway you like but keep it under 26 grams a day but if you are racing one day, you can increase that since your body will burn it quickly.
Plenty of water with minerals will do, i know of many athletes that just drink water and have skipped the gatorade.
And go get your blood tests done so you can see with your doctor at what level your uric acid is at.
Then assess from there.
Good luck!
I’m a little confused about the advice here. I am suffering a pretty bad acute attack I think. At first I thought it was related to my back – bulging discs. Foot pain has been attributable to that in the past. My toe however has become too painful to bear any weight. Hard even to get it to relax enough to straighten. Assume it’s gout. I’m a regular swimmer – up to a mile, but haven’t had a chance this week. You’re suggesting I avoid ALL exercise during this attack. or would I benefit from a swim?
Hi Ed!
You have nothing to worry about, swim as much as you want. Swimming is the best exercise for gout sufferers since it doesn’t put any pressure on the joints. What I meant is for exercise during a flare up or gout attack, do not go around putting any additional pressure on your inflamed joints. It will make the recovery even longer!
So what if you’re having a gout attack and your big toe is inflamed. Can you still go swimming? Wouldn’t the motion of kicking your foot through the water put additional pressure on your toe joint?
Can you swim while suffering an attack?
Yes during an attack it’s best to avoid all forms of exercise. Some gout sufferers who are older and suffer from joint stiffness or arthritis, swimming is a recommended form of exercise to pursue, that is my point.
[…] Exercise is also another great way to fight the nasty effects of bone erosion. Certain exercises such as weight-training and muscle strengthening help improve bone density, stimulate the production of new cells in the bones, and slow down bone loss. You can choose from a variety of exercise which include fast walking, jogging, dancing, weight lifting, and push ups. […]
I have a few health problems and now need to do some exercise I have an up hill walker that I use but can I use my vibration plate
Search for Edgar Cayce on Gout. Fast acting would be to use a Epsom Salt pack over the back across Kidney region and use a laxative (preferably enema) and follow other things like diet above. e.g. http://www.meridianinstitute.com/ccsi/scale12.htm
I have suffered from gout attacks every 16 months or so for the past 9 years. The most recent one was excruciating, and I am just getting over it now with Indomethacin.
This is despite me switching to a whole food plant based diet 3 months ago, consuming zero meat, zero alcohol, and doing 60 minutes of cardio (bike) every day. I also do calisthenics for strength conditioning.
So, what else can be done to prevent further attacks? I do not want to go on long term medications. Any food I should be avoiding or including? Any supplementation? It’s rather demoralizing to feel like you’re making great choices that might not be making a difference!
Anytime you try to beat gout naturally, you should team up with a doctor that will follow you and do multiple blood tests within a year to see if it’s really working or if it’s hopeless since gout can be due something else, so no natural remedy, good diet, exercise will work for you. Then you will have no other choice but go on medication in order to lower uric acid and avoid any future gout attacks. Don’t go in it blindly hoping for the best, you need to examine the data which is how your uric acid levels react to whatever you are doing.
Hope this is clear for you!
Good luck!
I have gout in my right knee and it has caused my leg muscles to become very weak. The doctor called it atrophy. What are some leg workouts that I can do to re-strengthen my legs? I’m not in a flare up now but just got over one.
Simple walking strengthens legs. Also do some squats each day with no added weight, just your body weight. If you feel any pain or pressure, simply stop. Listen to your body and do as much as it allows you to.
Same here, except I haven’t been diagnosed but honestly think Gout is what I have, my thigh has lost so much muscle that is now skinny ♀️ and it scares me that it is weak because of that, each time I start to get those painful attacks it loses more muscle.
Hi! I have a combination of gout and arthritis of both knees since diagnosis 2009. My condition has gotten worse and in constant pain and my uric acid is not dropping in spite of removing from my diet food which are uric acid forming. I tried exercise I was unable to tolerate.I now have to take pain killers daily. I am not sure if my recently diagnosis of hypothydism aggravated the inflammation.
[…] Experts say that people who are physically active are not only in better moods on average. But they’re also less likely to develop gout and/or joint pain (disclaimer: as long as they have good posture and avoid injury). […]
Hi Spiro,
I am a gout sufferer for long time, my doctor has been giving me injection and tablet for the pain and inflammation. I notice that when I played tennis, my gout flares up, is there any connection to my tennis activity and my gout inflammation?
Hi Alfred!
Yeah exercise can cause flare ups, especially ones involving putting lots of pressure on your feet like jogging, hockey, tennis, etc…It’s best to do it once in a while and play lightly if you can. Exercises that I do that don’t involve putting pressure on my feet for example is biking and swimming.
Riddle me this … I’m over 50. I’m in better shape now than I was a decade ago. My uric acid is 5.0. I exercise regularly and work an active job in healthcare. I still had an acute attack of gout. I’m not lazy. I eat healthy and do not over endulge in alcohol. My caffeine limit is just 24oz of coffee daily.
It depends. Do you eat a lot of meat or have in the past? Fried food? Processed foods? Sugary beverages and foods? Tell me more about your diet from your teenage years to now. A lot of times past bad dieting and bad lifestyle habits lead to disease later on in life.
Hi!
My Uric acid level is 7.4 I start walking on treadmill 10 km daily now I feel fain in both legs. My weight is 95 kg, age 34. Please advise.
Hi Ali!
Yes you are putting a lot of pressure on your joints and you will feel pain when you have high uric acid. Best to slow it down a bit and for now do not do any treadmill until inflammation on feet is gone.
Hi, I don’t have any gout problem at the moment but my current Uric Acid Level is 7.9 mg/dl. I am an overweight person, I was told to exercise daily and maintain a planned diet. I have been doing 60 minutes of cardio workout daily, 30 min at early morning and 30 minute at evening after work. Will cardio workout help me with decreasing Uric Acid? or is there a chance it will do the opposite?
I want to decrease Uric Acid level and also at the same time do exercise to burn a lot of calories.
Hi Patric!
No exercise can only decrease your uric acid, so keep at it. If you lose weight too fast sometimes that can cause a flare-up or attack but that’s more with dieting compared to exercising.
Hi Spiro, thank you so much for your response 🙂
Hi Spiro. I have had gout on and off for a while, always in my big toe. 3 days a go I got it on the side of my foot. I have been doing all the home remedies and it’s weird because the throbbing pain has gone which is amazing but I can barely walk on my foot. Is this because I have tested it for too long? Should I try walking on it more? I would love to here you me suggestions. Thanks, Chris
Hi Chris!
Hard question to answer. Whenever you have inflammation on your foot, it is always best to rest it as much as possible and not aggravate it by walking or doing any other type of exercise. We sell a cream on our store that you apply up to 4 times a day on your foot whenever you have pain and inflammation. That can help you get back on your feet much quicker. But other than that, try a foot massage too! That helps!
Hi, I’m suffering with gout in big toe. In awful pain. I race triathlons but am considering whether to give running a miss altogether. Could running cause an attack? I eat healthy and don’t drink much alcohol. Eat fresh veg and fruit but I do eat a lot of protein. Any suggestions please. Thanks Darren
Hi Darren!
Yes you can experience inflammation or even an attack, it really depends, everybody is different. Run lightly like I do from time to time. Preferably take up biking, elliptical and/or swimming which don’t affect the joints as much for a cardio workout.
I have gout in my wrist, will it be ok to ride my bike or will it aggravate it?
Yeah while your wrist is inflamed, it’s best to avoid putting any pressure on it as much as you can so it can heal faster, so I would avoid riding your bike until you are better.
[…] you are a gout sufferer, it’s essential to exercise. Inactivity will make you less flexible, weaken your joints and muscles, and encourage bone loss. […]
[…] plus il est difficile de faire de l'exercice. C'est un problème parce que exercice régulier est largement considéré comme l'un des meilleurs moyens de réduire les symptômes de la […]
[…] gout is that the worse the symptoms get, the harder it is to exercise. This is a problem because regular exercise is widely regarded as one of the best ways to reduce the symptoms of gout in the long term. Your […]
Hey Spiro, Hello I’m suffering from huge pain and inflammation on my right knee since a year. At starting I thought it is may be my ligament tear(ACL) after getting MRI, it was found nothing my Dr. Told me this is just cuz of exerction in knee as I use to do a lot of workout in gym. Since then I have left my gym it’s been a year and my body weight jumped from 78kg to 100Kg. I have visited many bone doctors but no one told me about gout. But last week I visited doctor in Mumbai India, he told me this is may be the case of gout, suggested me to have uric acid test which comes out to be 7.2 ( the upper top limit), I still have lot of pain on my knee and it is not on same place sometime it pains to the right of knee, sometimes to left and my toe (knee cup bone) is also paning.. my doctor went out in an emergency, since then I haven’t shown him my reports. Kindly help me & I really want to get in shape again and want to get back to my gym.
Hi Rashmeet!
Go seek the advice of at least 2 rheumatologists and take it from there. Very hard to give you any advice. The only thing you can control is your diet and lifestyle. You are exercising so that’s good but try and follow the principles of the 80-10-10 gout diet I talk about on this website and book. Also don’t take any of those whey proteins or creatine since you go to the gym. Too much protein strains the kidneys causing uric acid levels to rise. Replace meat protein and whey protein with beans instead. You don’t need much protein. Check out my article on Gout and Whey Protein too.
I’m suffering gout for almost a year , at first I thought it was simple pain on my foot because of my whole day cycling activity until I visit a doctor recently and realized I have a gout. Can I still do my cycling activity when the pain subsides? or should I lessen my cycling?
Yes wait until pain and inflammation leaves entirely before cycling again. You are simply prolonging the swelling even longer by cycling while suffering.
I’m 27 years and I got my result of uric acid it’s 8.5 and I have little pain in the left upper corner of my left leg knee.
So can I do leg workout? If it will not cause any issue, like leg press and squats.
This is the first time my uric acid level is high; so please help me on this I’m afraid.
Not for now. Wait till the pain and inflammation subsides and then continue gradually.
Hey man, can you help me?
I’m in my 40s and remember having gout in my early 30s but it was just my toe…it hurt like hell but after it was gone and I quit eating certain foods (eg shrimp) I was fine (I think). I never got blood tests after that…so I don’t know.
But now I went and sprained my ankle (it seemed way too easy to sprain it, but that’s what the doc said) a year ago and it seemed to just never heal. It healed some, but never fully and I kept reinjuring it or something…it’s become a chronic disabilitating condition that seems to have actually altered my ankle’s appearance and caused my leg to wither (one is much thinner than the other now).
Before that sprain, I was exercising with powerlifting and kickboxing and noticed some weaknesses and mobility limitations in the foot…but I was still able to perform.
Could this be recurrent gout?
If so, what do I do in regards to getting back to lifting weights and kickboxing…or, are these activities out of my life forever (if indeed I’ve got gout in my ankle)?
Thank you for your reply!
It might. Best to go visit your doctor and go do some blood tests to see where your uric acid level is at. If it’s not gout you are cleared. Could be some form of inflammation that could leave if you treat it effectively.
If it is gout then you can still lift weights and do kickboxing on a proper gout treatment regimen.
I hope you don’t have it of course. But go check yourself.
Hi Spiro,
I am a new gout sufferer. I also have hypertension which I have been on meds for a number of years. Because of my hypertension I have tried to stick with cardio type exercise particularly jogging on the treadmill. After getting my first gout flare up I went looking for something that didn’t involve the constant pounding of the feet and so I bought a rowing machine. Your feet are stationary but you can get a nice low impact cardio work out. It works core and legs and shoulders too. When my feet can take it, I alternate between the rower and the treadmill. Just thought I would share.
Thank you so much Spiro, I appreciate it.
Hello I have a gout on my right wrist.. Is it ok to have some heavy weights or some bench press?
Not recommended Syron.
Hi Spiro,
I first suffered from Gout around 2 months ago. I took Alupurinol for a month, but my Uric acid levels remained at 7.7. Another doctor then gave me a potassium based medicine (K-Flam) which is supposed to be more effective.
The gout frequency has reduced to once in 2 weeks. But this is still very annoying obviously. I’ve maintained diet and am actively involved with sports for at least 1 hour everyday (squash, badminton and cricket). Why does this keep re-occuring?
Please help.
You have to be patient, it takes at least 1 year for the uric acid crystals to melt, so be patient and follow your doctor’s advice. Plus do frequent blood tests to measure your performance.
I have heard from other sources that the crystals never go away. What is truth of the matter? Thanks.
Hi Jim!
Yes they can go away. Check out this 2007 study to learn more–>https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1954685/
Hello,
I was an active runner for more than a year. I train for marathons and cover around 100 kms per month. I recently had inflammation on my foot and went to doctor. My blood test showed high uric acid levels. The doctor suspected Gout and prescribed Allopurinol 40 mg. Even after taking the medicine for more than 2 months, my uric acid levels too came down and is 4mg/ml. Still I am feeling slight pain in my foot. I have stopped running completely. How long will it be for my pain to go completely and return to my active running ?
Very hard to predict Aswin! Depends how bad your inflammation is. Pain in your foot while running can be a permanent thing. For me if I do any hard running , I feel it the next few days. If I jog, it’s relatively light for a few minutes. I do more biking instead since it’s better for my joints.
Hi!
I had a gout attack one and a half years ago after that I’m trying to maintain a healthy uric acid level and had no gout attacks since then but is there any permanent cure for it, like going back to normal and back to eating and drinking.
You will have to eat a disciplined gout diet in order to maintain healthy uric acid levels. Even if you take medication, if you go back to eating unhealthy and drinking lots of alcohol for example, your health will just deteriorate as well as your gout. This is a lifestyle change that you have to decide to make.
Hi Spiro!
I’ve had a gout attack once which stopped after a couple of days. My uric acid level was 7.7 (range of 3 to 7). With medication lasting a month, my uric acid levels are now below 5. Does this mean I’m out of trouble? Also, I’ve cut out alcohol from my diet. Would one night of partying spoil it all?
Hi Gautam!
Yes one night of drinking hard can lead to a gout attack, so watch out, I wouldn’t do it if I were you. Now if you take your daily allopurinol you should be fine but remember that drinking and not improving your diet and lifestyle can lead to other gout complications like kidney stones, diabetes, heart disease, hypertension, sleep apnea and many more. Tread carefully!
Hi Spiro, first things first – Thank you for a great article and secondly for replying to everyone so promptly .I am 34 year old and I have been quite fit for long, but I’ve now had gout for the past 5 year and It has deteriorated the quality of my strength training completely.
I have been on Allopurinol 100mg for more than a year now and I’m about to start taking BCAA and whey protein (isolate) to improve my workout quality. Do you think this will / may trigger gout? Should I increase the dosage of Allopurinol? Any / all advice is appreciated.
Hi Ravi!
Yes too much protein will affect your kidneys which in turn will affect your uric acid levels to go higher. This can trigger a gout attack. Best to monitor your uric acid levels by asking your doctor to do blood tests and see how the whey protein is affecting it in order to change allopurinol dosage.
I’ve been dealing with my first ever gout flareup for 9 weeks now. By (eventually) cutting out everything from my diet but chicken, coffee ,water, vegetables, and the remedies like lemon juice and apple cider vinegar. I’ve cut all fruit sugars, grains and starches. It’s reduced swelling for a few weeks now but still, the flareup won’t end. It rotates between feet and anytime I try anything from the “old menu” or step wrong, one or both feet swell and the pain comes right back.
How do I get this flareup to end?! I was a daily runner before this and am a good fit body weight. I think i just ate too rich and drank too many beers. Will I ever be able to indulge again?
Thanks, any advice helps. This is crazy.
Hi Erich!
If you have suffered from previous gout attacks in your feet, then you should know that from time to time you can feel pain and swelling, either from drastic weather changes and/or sports related activities that strain your feet. As a gout sufferer I recommend you cycle more than running. It puts less pressure on your feet. There are many other ways to stay fit without putting that excess pressure on your feet like swimming for example. Again remain disciplined in your diet and avoid alcohol completely.
Hi:
I notice all of these comments refer to gout in the foot. Do you have any suggestions for those with gout in the elbows. I want to return to weight training to build my arms again but without stressing the elbows.
Please advise.
Cheers,
-d
Hi David!
Light weights until your elbows are strong enough to lift more without the pain. Nothing much else to do. Give your elbows at least a day or more of rest in between workouts as well.
Hi!
I am 21, I have just been diginosed with gout and I cannot walk properly. Will I ever be able to walk properly again?
Hi Sarah!
Yes if you treat, you will be fine. Have you seen your doctor yet? Best to go see them as soon as possible.
[…] Exercise for Gout Prevention […]
I had a gout attack 3 weeeks ago. took meds for a few days and got injections. I drink a gallon a day and been eating better since. When would it be safe to start working out again? I didn’t break any bones just gout on my left foot which the pain 95% went away.
Hi Michael!
It depends what type of exercise you do. If you do any upper body strength exercises, you can probably start now but let your foot heal 100% before embarking on running or any other exercises involving your feet.
My husband has suffered from gout for 50 years (he’s 80). Just recently during this gout attack,’he used a heating pad on his big toe! He says it feels good and relieves some pain. Is this okay and are warm water soaks helpful and okay?
Yeah that is fine Sue, many gout sufferers use various types of compresses to relieve the inflammation.
Hi Spiro,
How soon can I start exercising after a gout attack? After starting the medicine my pain subsided a great deal and I regained most of my mobility in the joint. However it still seems slightly swollen and has a small amount of pain when I flex the joint but I’m walking fine and with very little pain. Can I start walking (not running) on a treadmill?
Thanks,
Bruce
Hi Bruce!
No wait some more. If you start now you will inflame the joint even more and pain will last longer. Skip the treadmill cause that will put pressure on your feet and toes and do weightlifting for now. That doesn’t have an impact on your feet cause you are mostly standing straight and/or sitting on a bench.
Hi Spiro!
This is Naren I am suffering from gout for the last 2 months.
While walking on my right foot I am feeling some pain. Do you have any suggestions to reduce the pain?
Every time I got the pain, I used to take pain killers.
Hay muchos natural home remedies you can experiment with and see which one works for you the most!
I have pain in my ankle since 15 to 20 days after joining gym in my home also I started running from 3 days please advise me, is it uric acid or something else.
Danish I don’t know. Go visit your doctor and see.
Speeedoooo!
Hi I’ve found that working out during a gout attack has helped , am I crazy should I refrain until it goes away?
If your experiment works then keep at it. It could be true and it could be a coincidence, meaning something else may have helped your gout but you attribute it to exercise. But I know myself from past experience that the more I walk while on a gout attack, the better you feel much quicker.
I would like to ask whether a golf round will increase acid uric level and so the risk of gout attack.
I enjoy reading your blog, and I hope to get your input on this matter. Thank you.
No David!
Golf away!
Hi I am Travis age 34..I am having gout high uric acid since 2 years.. Got severe shoulder joint pain..but no pain any where else. Also losing muscle and strength in my upper body. Kindly suggest.
Travis have you done anything to improve diet? Uric acid will cause gout and other related arthritic issues for you if you don’t manage it properly. Look at your diet and try and follow the steps outlined on my site and book.
Hi,I’m just 19 and I’m suffering from gout.I like jogging and working out a lot. Is it okay if I continue with it?
HI Kazi!
As long as it doesn’t bother you as in getting a sore foot then continue. If you notice you start getting sore too often, then lighten up on the load, jog but less. As for working out, I presume you mean weightlifting, yeah that is not an issue. Exercise helps with your overall health and at the end helps fight gout.
Hi! I have gout in my left foot. Is swimming a good thing to help with gout? I like to swim a lot and I just whanted to know if this would make it easier or if it would make it worse?
Hi Kevin!
Swim all you want. It doesn’t apply any pressure on your joints, actually I should swim more now that you remind me.
Is ok to box or do martial arts when you have gout? I am concerned of getting hit or hitting a heavy bag and the stress it will cause on my joints. Thank you!
Hi Lonnie!
If you suffer from gout, best exercise is not to do anything strenuous like heavy lifting, usually it is advised to do light workouts but if you box and do martial arts and don’t feel any soreness from the joints, then continue and monitor your activity. If you feel pain and soreness then back off of a little and if you always seem sore, then you know you gotta change your workouts.
Dear,
I am 41 and I recently had a pain in my left big toe. So I visited my doctor and he told me to undergo some test and then came to the conclusion I had gout. My question is that is it good for a gout patient to walk? Please clarify.
Hi Mustafa!
If you are suffering from a gout attack and your big toe is hurting. Try not to walk that much. I understand you have no choice sometimes and you need to get around, to go to the bathroom or do some minor task around the house but it is best to limit the pressure you put on your toe and relax. This way it can heal faster.
I’ve been on an elliptical and lifting weights regularly for several months now, and have made great progress in my physical fitness. I just went on a bike ride with my wife and a group of friends, and I had a need for speed, which I satisfied quite strenuously. While I enjoyed it, and my regular workouts enabled me to ride very fast for 3 or 4 kilometers, I am now suffering from an acute gout attack in both big toe joints. I didn’t know about strenuous exercise causing an attack because of dehydration. I think it is easy to get dehydrated without realizing it. When I’m on the elliptical my routine is more strenuous than this bike ride, but I always have a 500ml bottle of water on the machine, and I usually drink at least half of that and refill before starting, and I never get a gout attack from it. I didn’t drink as much while cycling. I’ve learned a lesson from this. I need to be more careful next time.
[…] https://goutandyou.com/gout-and-exercise/ […]
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[…] How to exercise with gout […]
[…] always been against rigorous exercise, the best exercise is moderate like I outline in my post on exercise. Not only to avoid harming your kidneys but also to avoid worsening your joints too! Until next […]
[…] Exercise can help increase your feet’s circulation. Nothing will help your feet more than a simple walk every day. This might seem counterintuitive since walking puts stress on your feet but you can’t really lift weights with your foot muscles can you? So the best way to exercise them and keep those muscles strong is by walking. It also increases foot strength and flexibility. Make sure to speak to your doctor if you experience any pain, redness or any other foot problem after exercising. Check out these 5 exercises for stronger and more flexible feet from fitness educator Stacey Lei Krauss that only takes 5 minutes a day. […]
I have been following your blog for about a year now, because I developed gout around age 35. I am now 41, and recently (about 6 months ago) started working out (lifting weights) at my local gym.
For about one month now, I take a protein supplement to boost my protein intake for quicker recovery. I usually take one sixteen ounce serving on gym days only (M,W,F). One sixteen ounce serving is roughly equal to 60g of protein. Most fitness websites recommend approximately 1g protein/1kg body weight for mass gain, which is what I am trying to accomplish.
My question is: Am I going to have another flare up because of the protein supplement I take? Or will the exercise help to keep the flare ups under control? My last flare up was in the middle of February. I usually can count on a flare up at least twice a year, if not more frequently, so as I calculate, I am overdue for another painful flare up.
I enjoy reading your blog, and I hope to get your input on this matter. Thank you.
Thanks for the question Andrew!
Yes protein is protein so it forces your orgrans to work more in order to break it down putting more stress on them already since we suffer from gout, our liver and/or kidneys don’t work at full capacity. So there is a chance of an increased risk of developing a flare here and there. Truth is even if you exercise you don’t need that much protein, it’s all a myth according to a popular study that gets quoted often on the net and was done with triathlon ahtletes. All you need is 4-6 ounces a day and it is more then enough to repair muscle.
Try out cayenne pepper as a pain reliever. I find it works really well. It’s subtle how to use it, though. I make a paste of it by adding apple cider vinegar and dried cayenne pepper and often add turmeric too. The consistency should be that it just flows.
When the mixture is thoroughly mixed it should just be able to be poured. I then put it on the affected place and let it dry. Then you have to apply pressure onto the skin in the affected area and wait. Sometimes it doesn’t take exactly right. It requires blood flowing in the area so you want to massage the surrounding areas to get some blood flow.
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